Thunder and Protection
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: Because it's not Lily that's afraid of the thunder. It's the children. Seriously, Gajeel. They're terrified. - One-shot.


Thunder and Protection

Lightening lit up the room, shining in from the window as the sound of thunder and the patter of rain against the roof filtered in as well. That wasn't what woke Gajeel though. No. It was what was standing at the side of his bed.

"The children are terrified." Pantherlily kicked at the ground as he held his ears with his hands, trying to block out the sound of the storm outside. "They awoke me, requesting you. It could not be helped. I-"

Groaning, Gajeel said, "Get in bed, cat, kid." Then, reaching out, he picked up his two year old daughter, pulling her up there as well. "Baby."

His daughter giggled softly, no traces of tears to be found, as his seven year old son jumped up into bed as well as Lily, who hurried to over Gajeel to get into the middle of the bed and huddle under the covers.

"What's goin' on?" Levy mumbled from the other side of the bed as she slowly peeked open her eyes.

"The children are terrified," came Lily's muffled reply from under the quilt.

"Lily came to get us because he said we were afraid of the thunder," their son, Steele, told them. "But we were sleeping-"

"That is not how I remember-" Lily stopped talking then as the thunder sounded again. Curling up towards Levy, he let her snuggle him, though she was giggling.

"Well, you're here now," Gajeel grumbled as he laid his toddler down on his chest. The baby giggled in response, wiggling slightly. "So go to sleep. And be quiet about it."

"Oh, Gajeel," Levy sighed as she removed one hand from Lily and over to their son, running a hand through his tangle of blue curls. "Lay down, Steele. Tomorrow's gonna be a busy day."

"Not if it keeps storming like this," Pantherlily said from where his head was buried in Levy's stomach. "Then I will not be able to accompany you, Gajeel, on the job. I…I have to stay here and take care of the children. They're terrified of thun-"

"You're not fooling anyone," Levy told him with a sigh.

"I thought you were over your fears, cat?" Gajeel grumbled as he brushed a kiss against Harlow, their daughter's, head. She turned to look up at him then, their red eyes locking. "This is ridiculous."

"Gajeel, you know that he always sleeps with us when-"

"The Salamander's cat has no fears," he grumbled. "He-"

"Enough," she said, making a face over at him as Lily moved back from her slightly to stare too. "What's your problem?"

His problem? That it was the middle of the night, a night before he was leaving for a job, mind you, and he was tired. And grouchy.

Harlow let out a slight yawn then, a really cute one, that made Gajeel sigh and shut his eyes again.

"You just all need to go to sleep so I can go to sleep. Thunder can't hurt no one. Not my cat, kid, or baby. Not with me around! So go to bed. Now."

Levy only giggled. "You heard him, guys."

As much as he hated to admit it, it was actually pretty relaxing, sleeping in bed with both his children. Annoying at times though. Steele had a kicking problem and Harlow drooled like an animal. Still though, he'd always promised himself to be more loving towards them than anyone ever had been towards him. And even though it wasn't a hard goal to accomplish, he always tried to take it a step further. He'd didn't ever want them to grow up and think that he didn't care about them. Even if he was poor at showing it at times.

The next morning, he woke before dawn. It was drizzling out, but the true storm had passed. Since he would be leaving that day, Levy and the kids got up with him and Lily to make them breakfast.

"Here, Lily," Steele laughed at one point as he reached up on the counter to where a basket of fruit set. "Here's your breakfast." Retrieving a kiwi from the pile, he went to hand it off to the cat. Lily only grinned at him, bowing his head slightly.

"Thank you, child," he said before promptly popping the whole thing in his mouth, peel and all. Levy, upon seeing this, only rolled her eyes.

"So no eggs for you, Pantherlily?" she asked as she got to work on the kids' and Gajeel's breakfast.

"I think not," he said, mouth still slightly full. "Kiwis shall be fine."

"I'll get you more," Steele giggled after patting the cat on the head.

Gajeel, who was over at the table with his daughter in his lap, only grunted. Harlow was sitting up real tall in his lap, trying to reach up and pat his mouth. When he wouldn't bend down to let her, she just reached over and wrapped her little fingers around a strand of his hair before pulling.

"Gah!" He frowned down at her. "What, baby?"

He was paying attention to her then though and she merely let go of his hair before giggling and reaching up again.

"You need to tell her no, Gajeel," Levy reminded. "When she pulls. You know that."

He did. The baby had taken to a mean streak as of late, most of the torment being directed at her big brother and father.

Still, he was rare to ever get too angry with her or reprimand her. She was the baby, after all.

The kid, however, was another topic entirely.

In his attempt to be like Lily, Steele had taken one of the pieces of fruit and tried to shove it down his own throat, peel and all. He, of course, began to choke and spit the fruit right back out…onto the floor.

"Steele," Gajeel growled as Levy just rushed to go see if he was alright. After he was sure the boy wasn't still choking, Gajeel said simply, "Clean it up. Now."

"Gajeel," Levy complained as Lily downed another kiwi before moving to help the boy by getting a dishrag. "Honestly?"

He only glared at his son before looking back down at his daughter. Her hand was poised to grab another strand of hair, but upon winning his gaze once more, she only grinned and moved to pat his chest instead.

Lily was busy helping the child clean then when, out of nowhere, the storm seemed to pick up some and, right before the strike of lightening, there was the sound of thunder, rumbling loudly. This upset the baby some what, but Gajeel only bounced her a little to keep her quiet.

Too bad Lily was not as easy to console.

"This is too much," he said then as he dropped the dishrag to hold his ears down. "This storm is-"

"Thought you were a man, kitty?" Gajeel snorted as the baby began to wiggle. He only sat her down as Levy finally came over with his plate of food. "We go over this every time it storms. Thunder can't do nothing to you."

"Leave Lilly alone," Steele said then as he went to take his spit up kiwi to the trash. "You're 'fraid of things too, Dad."

"I am not. I-"

"You can't even ride a bike," he said. "'cause it makes you sick. So leave Lily-"

"Motion sickness is not a fear, it's a condition!"

"Gajeel, don't yell at the children," Levy sighed as she went to work making her son's breakfast then. It was much simpler, as all he liked was cereal. "And Steele, don't talk back to your father."

Steele only sent his father a dirty look, because he loved Lily. He was the best cat ever.

"Do not fret over me, child," Pantherlily told him then as he grinned at Gajeel. "I am fine. I-"

Thunder crackled again, making the cat move to hold his ears again. Harlow, who had toddled over to him, giggled before moving to hug the cat. She loved him too. He was just the right size to be her favorite playmate. He was like one of her dolls, but better because he moved and talked. Although, sometimes that could get annoying. Like last week when he refused to wear one of the dresses from one of her large dolls. But that was okay. Because he'd wear any scarves or hats that she stuck on his head.

Just not dresses. The Exceed had his limits, after all.

Steele narrowed his eyes at his father then before moving to lay a hand on Lily's head.

"Lily has to stay, Dad, Mom. With us." Then nodding his head, he said, "'cause we're terrific."

"Terrified," Lily corrected softly as Levy only giggled.

"Yeah, that too."

"Lily," the toddler said as she moved to sit down on the floor then, staring up at him. "P'ay?"

Gajeel stared back at them for a moment before shaking his head and going back to his food. He grunted in response to his kid before calling his baby's name. When Harlow got to him, he only sat her up in his lap, so that she could eat some of his breakfast too. She loved eggs.

"Stay then, cat," he said as Harlow busied herself with eating practically all his food. "I work better alone."

"Steele, here," Levy said then as she went to set his bowl of cereal on the table. "Come eat."

Gajeel stayed in the kitchen, just long enough to make sure that the baby got fed, before standing up and handing her off to her mother. Then, he gave each of the girls a kiss and ruffled the kid's unruly hair before heading out.

He had his bag and was out the front door when, suddenly, someone came running after him.

"Gajeel."

"What? You want a kiss too, kitty?" he grumbled as he started down the front walk, the rain soaking him immediately. Lily just ran after him, getting equally as waterlogged.

"I am going with you," the Exceed said as he caught up. "It is only right that I-"

And then it thundered. Gajeel only looked down at his cat, not surprised to see him quake slightly.

"Look, cat, I-"

"The storm shall pass," he said simply as he slowly removed his hands from his ears and looked around. "I-"

"Go home, cat." Gajeel didn't just look at him then. He literally bent down on one knee so he could stare at him full on. Lily turned his head though.

"I need no concessions made for me. I am-"

"You're my fucking cat is what you are," he growled then before reaching out to roughly rub the top of the Exceed's head. "And you're gonna go home because it's going to rain all day and you need Levy to protect you. And I'm gonna go out on this job alone. Then, when I get back, we're gonna spar, huh?"

He thought that the cat would put up more of a fight, but after a moment's thought, Pantherlily just nodded his head and turned to walk back up the path to the house.

"And cat," Gajeel called over his shoulder as he turned to walk away, headed for the train station. "Watch out for the kids, eh?"

"Of course," Pantherlily agreed. "They are, after all, terrified."

Just then, thunder rolled once more and Lily took off running for the cover of the house and the arms of Levy. Gajeel only rolled his eyes. He trusted his cat with his life, as well as the life of his family, but you throw thunder in the mix, well, they were as good as dead.

"I ain't afraid of nothing though," Gajeel mumbled softly to himself, thinking back on what his kid said. "Motion sickness is a weakness though."

And so was Pantherlily's fear of thunder. So maybe they were on a level playing field.

…Sort of.


End file.
